1. Community
  2. Men's health
  3. Prostate Problems

PSA reading 5.57; At 70+ should I worry?

Posted , 17 users are following.

JeremySt
JeremySt

I am 70 going on to 71. My PSA reading was 5.57 today. I am a white Caucasian with enlarged prostate. I get up once a night for the bathroom. No major problems passing water, the flow is average (not weak). Health wise I feel fine.

Should I worry about my PSA reading being high, or should I leave things as they are, get tested again in say six months and see the pattern? I recently read that for my age group and ethnicity type a PSA level of up to 6.5 (one line of thought said 7.2) shouldn't cause undue worry. Do you agree? What's your experience like?

Thanks, Jeremy

1 like, 103 replies

103 Replies

Next
  • dai12345
    dai12345 JeremySt

    Posted

    That's not too bad. I would get another test done in 6-12 months and see if it increases?

    • JeremySt
      JeremySt dai12345

      Posted

      Thanks dai, I was having visions of biopsies etc. Forgot to say, exactly 10 years ago my PSA reading was 3.1
    • ed70868
      ed70868 JeremySt

      Posted

      I agree ... I would wait. It is usually the level of increase.. not the raw number that counts the most. Mine jumped and I took a round of antibotics to reduce any infection I had and it dropped several points. So even if it jumps up a bit I would try the round of antibotics before getting a biopsy. 

      Mine PSA got up to 12.5 before I had the PAE procedure and it dropped to 3.4 after the procedure. So it appears my increase was related directly to enlarged prostate.

    • Jezzaman
      Jezzaman ed70868

      Posted

      Hi

      Thats useful information, as most Gp's and Urologists would be champing at the bit to get a Biopsy done at PSa 12.5. Mine was 6 pre PAE and the GP wanted a biopsy. I have had it redone and will post when I know results.

      CAn I Ask what size your prostate was pre PAE and whether the PAE has helped your situation?

      Thanks.

  • Supertractorman
    Supertractorman JeremySt

    Posted

    I am 73 and had PSA of 10 for 15 years, now down to 6 after TURP. Had Sepsis after second Biopsy. My advice would be stay on Active Surveillance as long as possible due to the problems all these procedures can produce.
    • Jezzaman
      Jezzaman Supertractorman

      Posted

      THanks for sharing that. Biopsy can be very risky and cause more problems than it helps!
  • bernie82609
    bernie82609 JeremySt

    Posted

    At your age, and with your PSA reading, I would track the PSA every 4-6 months and see yf there are significant changes.

     

  • johnclen
    johnclen JeremySt

    Posted

    H Jeremy,

    I'm 69 soon to be 70. My PSA jumped from 2.7 to 5.7 when I was diagnosed with an enlarged prostate. Also I hadn't had the test done in about 4 years. My urologist and primary doctor both told me 5.7 is good. Evidently the prostate enlarging causes the number to go up. I'd say you're fine.

    John

  • glenn77
    glenn77 JeremySt

    Posted

    I agree that watchful waiting (and not worrying) shoudl be preferred.  A close friend of mine who is about 63 recently had an elevated PSA, then needle biopsy that took 15 cores.  It put him out of work for a month, there was one core that came back positive, and after all of that, he and his doctor decided on just monitoring the situation going forward.
    • JeremySt
      JeremySt glenn77

      Posted

      Thanks all for giving me the news I wanted to hear! I will just wait and watch, and have another test in Jan/Feb 2017. Won't have the dreaded biopsy. Not yet anyway, and hopefully never!

      The thing about this business of PSA is (in my case anyway) the not inconsiderable anxiety it causes before the test and while waiting for the result - not to mention all the prep a week before the test!

      Thanks again and I wish you all a good evening and a prostate trouble free period ahead. Jeremy

    • richp21
      richp21 JeremySt

      Posted

      What prep did you do for the PSA test?

      And to repeat, next step, if warranted, can be a 3T mpMRI rather than a biopsy.

    • JeremySt
      JeremySt richp21

      Posted

      Hi Rich, prep is probably the wrong term. What I did for eight days is to abstain from alcohol and sex, and to eat very healthily. Also have early (earlier) nights.

      Thank you, and to everyone else for the recommendations. I am really heartened by the fact that there are alternatives to biopsy and that they work!

      A confession: I am totally ignorant about these alternatives and will be spending the weekend reading and digesting them.

      Meantime I would be interested to hear from our friends across the water as their day progresses. I think I read somewhere that they may have different views to us in the UK.

      Thanks again, Jeremy

    • Jezzaman
      Jezzaman glenn77

      Posted

      Once again further evidence of the dangers and lack of usefulness of a biopsy!
  • tony96045
    tony96045 JeremySt

    Posted

    Hi Jeremy, at 71 your PSA is considered below what can be expected for a 70 year old....In ten years it has only progressed marginally so that's good news, Plus you say you have an enlarged prostate....Then that will also allow for a higher than standard PSA.....If you know the size of your prostate in cc's (Prostate Density) then you can safely allow .1ng of PSA per 1cc. i.e. a 55cc prostate (reasonably enlarged) can happily throw out 5.5ng of PSA and nothing sinister is going on.....Keep an eye on it, but you appear to be all good

    • JeremySt
      JeremySt tony96045

      Posted

      Hi Tony, I am afraid I don't know the size of my enlarged prostate, but as I said earlier I will be spending some serious time noting all the interesting information I have gathered from this excellent forum, then out in place a plan of action of things I need to do. Finding out the size of my prostate will be on top of my list.

      Thanks for the very useful, positive information you provided. Jeremy

    • tony96045
      tony96045 JeremySt

      Posted

      Jeremy, a decent urologist would be able to make a "guesstimate" on the size of your prostate. A definitive answer would be via MRI or Ultrasound......if you have been told you have an enlarged prostate (standard size 25cc) then I really wouldn't be concerned....at 70 years of age your PSA sounds fine....just keep an eye on the progression

    • JeremySt
      JeremySt tony96045

      Posted

      Thanks Tony, I'll ask my GP to refer me to a urologist. My GP is highly experienced and he 'dabbles' in a number of medical areas in addition to being a generalist of course. I am sure he'll have a go at guessing the size of my prostate. Then I'll apply the formula and ... hopefully then celebrate with a glass or two of fizz (which I know is not brilliant to keep down PSA levels!). Jeremy

    • tony96045
      tony96045 JeremySt

      Posted

      Hi Jeremy, without wishing to fly in the face of some advice you have received, I really would not worry....Your PSA velocity (the rate which your PSA has risen year on year) is well within the accepted range. The NHS have a cut off of 7ng of PSA for your age group, you are well within that. Plus the fact that you have an enlarged prostate so will have a higher PSA  anyway. Eat healthily by all means, (we all should) cooked tomato (lycopene) and fruit and veggies are all good for prostate health...likewise staying away from dairy products and eating more soya products are also  good , but let's be realistic, you've made it this far.....don't think you have to start living like a monk at this stage of your life....Do you want to live forever?. 😎

    • JeremySt
      JeremySt tony96045

      Posted

      Hi Tony, I wouldn't want to go yet! one or two things I must do first. However, as a friend, a brilliant mind and a successful man said 'I'd rather go at 83 enjoying my life to the full until I go than be careful every inch of the way and live to see 88', I too wouldn't want to give up wine and exciting food!

      Thanks for the good advice. Jeremy.

    • fj20848
      fj20848 JeremySt

      Posted

      Hi Jeremy,

      ​Are you sure that wine is bad for prostate health?

      ​FJ

    • JeremySt
      JeremySt fj20848

      Posted

      Hi FJ

      That didn't come from me. It may have been from one of the other members of the forum in result to my post. I wouldn't know for sure if wine is good or bad for the prostate but my hunch is that red wine in moderation may be harmless. I have been advised in the past that beer and fizzy drinks (including e.g. Coke and champagne) should be avoided.

      Please do check on what I am saying about red wine. Jeremy

    • fj20848
      fj20848 JeremySt

      Posted

      Thank you. I also have the same idea about Wine and other drinks.

      FJ

    • Jezzaman
      Jezzaman tony96045

      Posted

      Hi Tony

      Can I ask the source if this calculation of PSA? How does the peron's age factor into this?

      Very interesting!

      thanks

      Jezzaman

    • Jezzaman
      Jezzaman tony96045

      Posted

      TOny 

      I Have switched to full fat "Gold top" with creamed  mixed through, which does taste lovely!  This was on the basis that if I was going to drink milk then it should be more natural and less processes (cf skimmed milk)

      Do you think I am making a mistake?

      regards

       

    • tony96045
      tony96045 Jezzaman

      Posted

      Hi Jezzaman, regarding the PSA density, do a Google search on PSA density and make sure that the websites you read are reputable medical sites, any of the major American hospitals, Mayo, Sloan Kettering etc.....also many medical papers have been written on the subject.....The book and website "invasion of the prostate snatchers" is also very informative regarding this subject.....basically .1ng can be happily attributable to 1cc of prostate tissue......therefore somebody with a large 90cc prostate gland can feasibly have a PSA reading of 9 and nothing sinister is going on.....Only when the figure reaches .15ng per cc is a red flag raised ( there are of course no certainties here but the larger the prostate then the higher the PSA).....as far as dairy goes, I'm a big fan of butter, cream, full fat milk etc. But all dairy has been proven to be "bad" as far as prostate health is concerned.....Just got to be sensible I think. Moderation in all things etc.

       If you can't give up real milk then maybe dilute it a bit with soya or almond milk which is "better" for us.....All things Soya are good for the prostate....Asian Countries who eat less red meat and dairy have substantially less cases of Prostate Cancer

        regards. Tony

    • tony96045
      tony96045 Jezzaman

      Posted

      Meant to say, the age thing applies only because as we get older it is assumed that our prostates get larger....therefore as we get older the NHS increase the cut-off for PSA readings....3 fo 50-60 yrs old. 4 for 60-70 and 5 for over 70 years old
    • Jezzaman
      Jezzaman tony96045

      Posted

      Ok so I am 55 with a PSa (last taken before my PAE) of 6.5

      and prostate volume of 82cc (before PAE).

      So "Im allowed" a psa of 8??  but then 3 is the cut off for NHS for my age?

      I am a bit confused, sorry to sound thick!

       

    • tony96045
      tony96045 Jezzaman

      Posted

      Not thick, this topic even confuses GP's. The NHS guidelines are just that, they have to start and end somewhere.....it is perfectly possible to have a PSA of 2 and have prostate cancer.....The NHS figures assume that your prostate is of a "normal" size for a 50 year old....in which case anything over  3 would be enough to get you referred to a urologist, only then would your prostate size come into play and probably find that in your instance everything is hunky dory.....You're not "allowed" anything in reality, there are no hard and fast rules, but over the years databases have been established that will point to a more likely possibility....just keep an eye on your PSA is the watchword

Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.